The second annual Dean of Chess Academy FIDE Invitational was held from August 13-22nd. The idea is to give several types of often overlooked players the opportunity to achieve a FIDE rating. Academy members, long-time experts and masters, and up-and-coming nationally ranked scholastic players are the three groups meant to have this opportunity.

This year there were three FIDE hopefuls. All of them were successful in obtaining a FIDE rating. IM Dean Ippolito won the event with a 9/9
score. For the second year in a row National Master David Grasso finished second, this year with 5.5/9. Life Master James West and Rahul Swaminathan finished tied for third with 5/9 points. All of the games can be found at deanofchess.com.

This writer (Aaron Kiedes) directed the event. More such events are planned as the second Dean of Chess Academy is opening next month in Flemington, NJ. Between both centers, more than 50 monthly events and weekly Grand Prix events will be run in the 5,000+ square feet available.